If you look at Whoopie Goldberg's resume of work, this film, I'm sure ranks near the bottom of the list. That doesn't mean this is a bad film. I am sorry to say though, it is not a great film either. Goldberg was so busy working during this time in her career, that smaller projects were coming into her circle too. During this time, for a brief moment in film history, Whoopie was actually the highest paid female actress ever, because of her payroll for Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993). She just started hosting the Oscars two years before the release of this film. Her star was high right now. She was a very busy person. In order to build-up her resume, she accepted smaller roles, produced by smaller studios, using the second-tier of Hollywood creators.
It begins with the script for this film. When trying to convince a fantasy, superhero or science fiction audience, that your fictional character is real, can sometimes be easier, than trying to convince your real-world audience, that your real-world character is believable. When a writer establishes a film as being totally void of fantasy, a film that takes place in the real world about real things, you still have to make it believable. It also looks like a director is force-feeding the audience a plot, that the audience must accept, no matter how silly it is. It's like your director is saying, "just believe it and go with it", which never works. The first stretch in this film's script occurs when a New York Knicks fan, named Eddie (Goldberg), wins the prize of being the honorary coach of the Knicks team, during the game she is attending. She then becomes elected the head coach of the team, for the second half of the game, after the real head coach, John Bailey (Dennis Farina), walks off the court.
Then the script-writers send this twist at us. The new owner of the team, William "Wild Bill" Burgess (Frank Langella), decides he likes Eddie so much, that he fires Coach Bailey and makes Eddie the coach of the New York Knicks, for the rest of the season. From there, it's a mad dash to the playoffs for Eddie and her spoiled, lazy basketball team. This film also suffers from the fact, that Whoopie's supporting cast was mostly NBA players, who can't really act. The rest of the cast consists of Frank Langella in the miscast role of Texas-born, Knick's owner, Burgess. He is the man who keeps handing everything to Eddie, like this could really happen in real-life. The reality gauge was turned way up. I know Eddie (1996), is just a movie, but I need a little more authenticity in the explanation, on how lucky Eddie is.
The film tries to be a comedy, but I think it loses some of that, while trying to get the flimsy story to conclude. It feels more like a feel-good movie than I comedy really. I always enjoyed watching Whoopi Goldberg do her work. I loved watching her host the Oscars back in the 1990s. She also had just finished her excellent run on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1988-1993), at this time too. Whoopie is fine in this movie, but no one really else is. The script just wasn't there. It is only the work of Whoopi, that can really save this film. As the film begins to right itself, it shoots itself in the foot again. As we near the end of the season, the unbelievable plot-turns keep coming, as the film spirals into a ridiculous finale. The film also has a made-for-tv feel to it. The film does make you feel good, even though most of the story is hard to swallow. Look for a cameo by Dennis Rodman.
5.9 (D MyGrade) = 6 IMDB.
It begins with the script for this film. When trying to convince a fantasy, superhero or science fiction audience, that your fictional character is real, can sometimes be easier, than trying to convince your real-world audience, that your real-world character is believable. When a writer establishes a film as being totally void of fantasy, a film that takes place in the real world about real things, you still have to make it believable. It also looks like a director is force-feeding the audience a plot, that the audience must accept, no matter how silly it is. It's like your director is saying, "just believe it and go with it", which never works. The first stretch in this film's script occurs when a New York Knicks fan, named Eddie (Goldberg), wins the prize of being the honorary coach of the Knicks team, during the game she is attending. She then becomes elected the head coach of the team, for the second half of the game, after the real head coach, John Bailey (Dennis Farina), walks off the court.
Then the script-writers send this twist at us. The new owner of the team, William "Wild Bill" Burgess (Frank Langella), decides he likes Eddie so much, that he fires Coach Bailey and makes Eddie the coach of the New York Knicks, for the rest of the season. From there, it's a mad dash to the playoffs for Eddie and her spoiled, lazy basketball team. This film also suffers from the fact, that Whoopie's supporting cast was mostly NBA players, who can't really act. The rest of the cast consists of Frank Langella in the miscast role of Texas-born, Knick's owner, Burgess. He is the man who keeps handing everything to Eddie, like this could really happen in real-life. The reality gauge was turned way up. I know Eddie (1996), is just a movie, but I need a little more authenticity in the explanation, on how lucky Eddie is.
The film tries to be a comedy, but I think it loses some of that, while trying to get the flimsy story to conclude. It feels more like a feel-good movie than I comedy really. I always enjoyed watching Whoopi Goldberg do her work. I loved watching her host the Oscars back in the 1990s. She also had just finished her excellent run on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1988-1993), at this time too. Whoopie is fine in this movie, but no one really else is. The script just wasn't there. It is only the work of Whoopi, that can really save this film. As the film begins to right itself, it shoots itself in the foot again. As we near the end of the season, the unbelievable plot-turns keep coming, as the film spirals into a ridiculous finale. The film also has a made-for-tv feel to it. The film does make you feel good, even though most of the story is hard to swallow. Look for a cameo by Dennis Rodman.
5.9 (D MyGrade) = 6 IMDB.